


A Boy To Bring Home And Other Things On Makoto's Christmas List

by SecretMaker



Category: Free!
Genre: Fake pre-dating, Getting Together, It's not fake dating 'cause they're not there yet but it's close, Kissing in the Snow, M/M, and all that cute stuff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-22
Updated: 2018-12-22
Packaged: 2019-09-24 11:40:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,569
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17099915
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SecretMaker/pseuds/SecretMaker
Summary: Makoto's family keeps nagging him to bring a boy home already. Problem is, the one he has his sights set on has other ideas about their relationship. So he strikes a deal.And it all goes downhill from there.





	A Boy To Bring Home And Other Things On Makoto's Christmas List

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Cattatonically](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cattatonically/gifts).



“So, um,” Tachibana said, scuffing his shoe on the pavement. Seijuurou thought he was adorable like this, all nervous and uncertain. “I talked to my mom last night.”

 

“Oh boy,” said Seijuurou. He hadn’t heard much about Tachibana’s family, but a conversation that started like that never ended well.

 

“No, it’s nothing like that,” Tachibana said quickly. “She just wanted to know if she needed to set out an extra plate at our family dinner this year.”

 

“Okay?” Seijuurou said. “I don’t get it.”

 

“I mean, she asked if I was bringing anyone home. As in, _bringing someone home_?”

 

“Oh. What did you say?” Seijuurou didn’t want to admit it was a touchy subject, Tachibana bringing someone home for the holidays, but it was. As long as that someone wasn’t Seijuurou, the subject would always be touchy. Tachibana sighed.

 

“I told her there was someone, but I wasn’t seeing them in an official capacity,” he said. “Like, I wanted to bring them home, but at this point it would be a totally platonic dinner.”

 

“And what did she say to that?” Seijuurou asked, trying to hide the bitter taste in his mouth. He’d had his suspicions that Tachibana had someone in mind, someone other than him, but to have them confirmed like this… It hurt. It hurt a lot.

 

“She bought them a ticket,” Tachibana said, pulling Seijuurou out of his thoughts and back into the conversation.

 

“So, what’s the problem?” Seijuurou asked. “There is a problem, right? You wouldn’t be coming to me if there wasn’t one.”

 

“It’s just… There isn’t anyone,” Tachibana said, and for some reason it tasted like a lie. Seijuurou raised an eyebrow at him. “Okay, there’s no one I _want_ to take home, because I don’t want to have an awkward dinner with this person and my family, but I don’t see a choice. So. Will you go to the dinner with me?”

 

That was the last thing Seijuurou expected out of Tachibana. Then he got it. Tachibana didn’t want to bring this special someone home, but he needed to bring _someone_ , so he’d turned to his friend and senpai for advice and a cover story. And Seijuurou? Seijuurou was in to deep to say anything other than, “Sure. I’d be glad to.”

 

“You would?” Tachibana asked, looking shocked. “You don’t have to- I don’t want to make anything weird for you or anything.”

 

“No, I’d be glad to meet your family,” Seijuurou said. “And if you need a cover until you’re ready to take this person home, then I’m happy to provide that.”

 

“Cover…” Tachibana said. “Oh. Okay.” He turned away with an unhappy look.

 

“Something wrong?” Seijuurou asked.

 

“No!” Tachibana said, a little too loud. “Sorry. No. Everything’s fine. I’m just a little jumpy is all.”

 

“I get it,” Seijuurou said, clapping Tachibana on the back. His hand tingled with warmth where it had met Tachibana’s broad shoulder. He glanced down at his watch and winced. “Hey, I gotta go, but text me the details, okay?” he asked.

 

“Will do,” Tachibana said, a little too quiet. Seijuurou wanted to stay and find out what was really bothering Tachibana, but his lunch break was over and it was time to get to class. So he gave Tachibana one more clap on the shoulder and stood. He ignored the little voice in his head screaming at him that he was making a mistake as he jogged away.

 

-

 

Makoto was a nervous wreck. He thought he had just confessed to Mikoshiba, but apparently Mikoshiba had other ideas about what had just happened. As he trudged back to his apartment, he played the conversation back over in his mind. Somewhere, he had given Mikoshiba the idea that there was someone else he would rather be with. Makoto groaned and pulled open the door.

 

“Haru-chan, I’m home,” he called, kicking out of his shoes and slumping down the hall. Haru was curled up on the couch, blinking at him like a particularly contented cat. He smiled.

 

“So did you ask him?” Haru asked, and Makoto’s smile fell away.

 

“Why can’t you come home with me instead?” Makoto whined.

 

“Because I’d be in the way,” Haru replied. “And besides, I’d rather stay here with Nagisa and Rei.”

 

“Of course you would,” Makoto muttered, dropping onto the couch next to Haru.

 

“So, did you ask him?” Haru repeated.

 

“You’re really not letting this go, are you?” Makoto asked. “Fine, yes, I asked him, but he seems to think it’s a platonic dinner.”

 

“Did you explain to him that-”

 

“Yes,” Makoto interrupted. “But he thinks I meant someone else. He thinks he’s my cover story.” Haru snorted.

 

“He’s a moron and you deserve better,” he said.

 

“Thanks, Haru.”

 

“Anytime.”

 

“What am I going to do?” Makoto whined, slapping his hands over his face. “I don’t know how much more clear I can be!”

 

“You said your family would want to set you up with him, right?” Haru asked. “So, let them set you up.”

 

“You don’t think that would be weird?” Makoto asked. Haru shrugged.

 

“It’d be a little weird, but why not let it work?” he asked. “It’s not like there’s much risk. If it goes south you could say you were just pretending for your family’s sake.”

 

“Haru-chan, you’re a genius,” Makoto cried, throwing his arms around his friend.

 

“Don’t call me -chan,” Haru mumbled, but he accepted the embrace. Makoto counted that as a win. “You’d better text him and tell him when to meet you,” Haru said a moment later, shrugging Makoto off.

 

“Right,” Makoto said, picking up his phone. “Right. I’ll just. Do that.”

 

“Makoto-” Haru warned.

 

“I know, I know, I’m a coward!” Makoto cried. “Okay, fine, I’m texting him.”

 

“Good.” Makoto smiled at the glare in Haru’s voice and took a deep breath. He pulled up Mikoshiba’s number and started typing.

 

-

 

As they walked up the steps toward Tachibana’s family home, Seijuurou found himself growing nervous. If the Tachibanas didn’t like him, they could ruin any chance he had of ever being with Tachibana at all. Especially the twins. Seijuurou knew how much Tachibana loved his little siblings. If they didn’t approve of Seijuurou, Tachibana would never change his mind about him.

 

The nervousness grew until it was a queasy knot in his stomach by the time they reached Tachibana’s front gate. Tachibana turned to him with a smile, only to frown a moment later.

 

“You okay?” he asked.

 

“Is it pathetic if I admit I’m a little nervous?” Seijuurou asked. Tachibana gave him a smile that smacked of relief and adoration and made Seijuurou’s heart twist up in little knots.

 

“I’d be nervous to meet your family,” Tachibana reasoned, and Seijuurou laughed.

 

“You’ve already met most of them,” he said. “It’s just Mom you haven’t met.”

 

“She raised all three of you?” Tachibana asked. “She must be a very energetic woman.”

 

“She is,” Seijuurou laughed. “But I bet your parents are nothing like her. I bet they’re sweet.”

 

“Are you saying your mother isn’t sweet?” Tachibana asked, a scolding tone in his voice.

 

“Not a bit,” Seijuurou said, unrepentant. “She’s loud and brash and obnoxious, just like the rest of us.”

 

“Well then, you’ll fit right in here,” Tachibana said, opening the front gate. He walked right up to the door and opened it, visibly bracing himself. Seijuurou was about to ask why when all of a sudden two middle-school-aged children came thundering down the steps and launched themselves at their big brother. Seijuurou laughed when they knocked Tachibana to the ground, but then the sound drew their attention and the laugh died in his throat.

 

“Nii-san, who’s this?” asked one.

 

“This is my… friend, Mikoshiba Seijuurou,” Tachibana said. Seijuurou wondered if he had imagined the hesitation. “Mikoshiba-kun, this is Ren,” he gestured to one sibling, “and Ran.”

 

“Oh, is this the guy Mom said is-” Makoto slapped a hand over Ran’s mouth and started up a glaring contest with her while Ren stared at Seijuurou. Seijuurou waved a little awkwardly and Ran’s eyes snapped up to him as well. Seijuurou felt about an inch tall under their combined scrutiny.

 

“Ren! Ran! You better not have tackled your brother again!” came a voice from inside the house, and a moment later a small, dark-haired woman with a sweet face appeared in the doorway. The sweetness in her face gave way to exasperation as she stood with her hands on her hips. “You two are really getting too big for this,” she scolded.

 

“Sorry, Mom,” said the twins in unison. They climbed off of their brother, still staring at Seijuurou. Finally, Mrs. Tachibana looked up and caught sight of him as well. Seijuurou was caught under three sets of green-brown eyes. Then Makoto looked up at him and his breath caught in his throat, just like it always did. He shook his head and looked up at Mrs. Tachibana.

 

“You must be Mikoshiba-kun,” Mrs. Tachibana said after a moment, smiling and holding out her hand. “I’m Tachibana Kumiko. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

 

“The pleasure is all mine,” Seijuurou said, shaking her hand. She beamed up at him.

 

“You sure are handsome,” she said. “My Makoto definitely knows how to pick them.”

 

“Mom!” Tachibana cried, scrambling to his feet. “I told you, Mikoshiba-kun is only here as a friend.”

 

“Oh, I know that,” Mrs. Tachibana said, reaching up to pat her son on the head. “Now, come inside, all of you. Dinner is almost ready.” Ran and Ren ran inside and immediately started shouting at each other. Tachibana sighed and looked up at Seijuurou.

 

“You sure you want to do this?” he asked. “You can still back out.”

 

“I promised I would help,” Seijuurou said. “So let me help.”

 

“Okay,” Tachibana said warily. “Well then, here goes nothing.” He held out his hand to lead Seijuurou inside. Seijuurou wiped the sweat surreptitiously off his palm and took it, ignoring the singing in his veins at the contact. He let Tachibana draw him through the door and into the house.

 

-

 

Makoto sat next to Mikoshiba and tried not to let his internal screaming become external. It didn’t help that the table was small and Mikoshiba’s thigh was pressed against Makoto’s, warm and solid. It also didn’t help that Mikoshiba blended into his family seamlessly, laughing at all their jokes and making them laugh with his own. He was sweet and witty and fun and everyone clearly loved him.

 

It only made it hurt that much more that all of this was fake.

 

“So how did you two meet?” Makoto’s father asked halfway through the meal.

 

“Ah, through swimming,” Mikoshiba replied. “We actually met in high school.”

 

“Mikoshiba-kun was the captain of Samezuka’s swim team my second year,” Makoto explained. “We reconnected in college, but we’ve known each other for five years now.”

 

“Five years,” repeated Makoto’s mother, making significant eye-contact with his father and then turning to smile at Mikoshiba. “That’s a long time to be friends.” Something about the way she said the word ‘friends’ made Makoto’s skin crawl. The way she was making eyes at Mikoshiba, like she was already planning his and Makoto’s wedding, the way everyone at the table knew how Makoto felt about Mikoshiba except for Mikoshiba himself made him want to cry. So before he could do anything stupid, he excused himself and hurried out of the room.

 

He stood outside, just breathing the night air and staring up at the stars that were so hard to see in Tokyo. He sighed. He was being ridiculous. He just needed to go back in there and finish the dinner.

 

But suddenly, the thought of being in the same room as all of them, of having it not mean what he wanted it to mean, was the most unbearable thing he could imagine. Tears pricked at his eyes and he wrapped his arms around himself and shivered. It was cold out and he had forgotten his coat.

 

Just then, something warm and soft wrapped around his shoulders. He startled, turning to see Mikoshiba standing there, a concerned look on his beautiful face. The coat Makoto was wearing smelled like him. Makoto turned away, ashamed.

 

“Hey, are you all right?” Mikoshiba asked, his voice nothing at all like the usual boisterous boom. It was quiet, sedate, even.

 

“I’m fine,” Makoto sniffed. Mikoshiba crossed his arms.

 

“You don’t look it,” he said. “Fine people don’t just run away like that. Is it something I did?”

 

“No,” Makoto said, and it was only partially a lie. Mikoshiba hadn’t done anything wrong, he had just existed and been wonderful. Just like he did every day of Makoto’s miserable life.

 

“Can I fix it?” Mikoshiba asked, and that wasn’t what Makoto had expected - though he didn’t know why he didn’t.

 

“Not really,” Makoto said.

 

Mikoshiba took a step closer, shuffling around Makoto until he could tip a finger under his chin and tilt his head up. “Can I try?” he asked.

 

Makoto didn’t know what to do, so he nodded and closed his eyes. Something brushed against his cheek, warm and slightly wet, then across his forehead, down his nose and over to his other cheek. Makoto opened his eyes to ask what Mikoshiba was doing, only to find Mikoshiba’s face very close and getting closer. Their lips pressed together and Makoto melted. He whined against Mikoshiba’s lips, reaching up to twine his arms around his neck and hold on tight. Mikoshiba seized him by the hips and pulled him close, and Makoto forgot about everything that wasn’t kissing Mikoshiba. That is, until Mikoshiba pulled away and Makoto remembered his family, sitting just inside. Terror took his heart.

 

“Hey, hey, it’s okay,” Mikoshiba breathed, reaching up to cup his cheek. “Just look at me. Just at me. It’s okay.”

 

“My family-” Makoto started, then shook his head. “They’re never gonna let me live this down,” he laughed. Mikoshiba took a step back and stared at him incredulously as he bent over with laughter. “Oh my god!” he shouted, and Mikoshiba jumped.

 

“Tachibana, are you-” he started, but Makoto only laughed harder.

 

“All this time, all this worry, and you liked me back,” he wheezed. “You liked me back! I could have just kissed you, I could have just done it! I didn’t need to bring you home to lure you in, I could have just made you mine!”

 

“I don’t understand,” Mikoshiba said, “but I think you’re happy? So I’m gonna go with yay?”

 

“Come over here and kiss me again,” Makoto ordered. Mikoshiba straightened up and nodded, closing the distance between them with lightning speed. Makoto grinned up at him and tangled his fingers in Mikoshiba’s hair, pulling him down for another kiss. He let himself ignore the family inside, the neighbors probably getting scandalized in their own homes, even the cold as he kissed the man he loved. He was so caught up that he didn’t hear the door opening and his doom approaching.

 

Mikoshiba heard it, though, and had just enough time to throw Makoto to one side and meet Ren and Ran head-on. Makoto leaned against the fence post and watched him wrestle with them in the snow, grinning and holding his fingers to his lips. Mikoshiba grinned up at him, letting Ren and Ran get the better of him, and Makoto laughed.

 

It was good to be home.

**Author's Note:**

> [Tumblr](http://notsuchasecret.tumblr.com)   
>  [Pillowfort](http://pillowfort.io/notsuchasecret)


End file.
